Brake band signaling device



March 21, 1933.

FiledA Feb. 5, 1951 Il a 0 Z z 1 3 3 w 0 ru w 3 Na -l 3 a 4. a 6 a 3 A ln. 1 l Z Y m my. a [Il Paiement Mar. 21, 193s worden ALFRED S. GATADEJ, @El BBDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT igplcaton filed February 5, last.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in automobile brakes and more particularly to means for automatically sigu naling the driver when the braise hands become worn through, so that the operator' will know instantly that the lining is worn out and a new one is required, thus avoiding the possibility ot a driver operating a un: knowingly, with defective brakes.

l fin-d that it is often the case, in the use ci automobiles, that brakes are frequently used and relied upon alter the bands have been worn through, but unlrnown to the operat r, until an emergency arises when the brakes are applied and fail to 1taire hold, rlhereiore, the importance oi the improved signaling device, asv above suggested, that serves to indicate to the driver the tact that the brake lining has worn through and can be no further depended upon.

rllhis signaling device brieiiy includes copper strip, insulated, positioned beneath the lining and intermediate of it and the shoe, and an electric wire connection, a battery, a lamp or hell, the latter of which can be lon cated upon the dash board, so that a circuit is made or broken by the wearing oi a hole through the bralre band.

@ther objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein one satisfactory embodiment of the invention is sh iwn.

pose of making clear the construction an operation ci the principles of the invention and are not to be c^nsidered a limiting of its scope since changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may well be made within the scope oi the appended claims to which reference must be had -lor a deliniu tion of the limitations of the imfentionn Upon the accompanying drawing forming a part oi this specication the same characters However, it is to be understood that th description and drawing are for the purv Serial No. 513,509.

et reference will be found to denote lilie or corresponding partsl throughout the several iigures, and of which Y Fig. l shows a front elevation oii a ixed or shell member of a modern type ot autoao mobile brake having my improved signaling device applied thereto;

lllig. 2 is an enlarged, horizontal cross section, taken on line 2-2 ot Fig. l, through the said fixed member and a rotatable wheel and drum mounted thereon;

Fig. 3 shows a similar enlarged, sectional side elevational view of a portion ci the hralre shell shown in Fig. 1, taken on line 3--3 oli Fig. 2; @il

Fig. 4 shows a detached plan view of the insulated copper strip secured between the brake shoe and brake lining and ha* ing an electric circuit wire attached thereto; and

Fig. 5 shows a longitudinal section through @5 the insulated copper strip and insulative covering shown in llig. il. y

Referring in detail to the characters oi reference marked upon the drawing, l() represents a portion of a disk wheel, and 1l the 7@ cylindrical brake drum forming an integral part of the wheel and adapted to'be rotated therewith, and which may be o the usual or y any preferred construction. 19; represents a iixed brake shoe member having a stampednp recessed portion 13 in which'is provided a' central hole 14 to accommodate an axle l5' and axle housing 16, and is further provide with screw holes 17 whereby the shell may be secured to the end or the axle housing and thus form a fixed member of the brale with respect to which the before mentioned wheel and drum rotate.

@ne end portion ot each ol a pair oi serni circular shaped shoes i8 are hingedly snpported to studs 19 secured to the brano shell l2 while the other or upper ends adapted to be expanded by hydraulic means, against the action of a spring 20, the opposite ends ci which are attached to the respective shoes, 9@

26 that are secured inner cylindricalsurface of the said spring obviously serving to draw the brake shoes inward away from the brake drumll. v

21 re resents a hydraulic cylinder that is adapted) to be supplied with liquid through any suitable pipe connection, as for lnstance 22 as shown. The pistons within thecylinder are each provided with central aligned stems 23, the outer ends of which are seated in yokes 24 that in turn are carried in recesses of the parallel spaced-apart fiange portions 25 of the shoes. The hydraulic cylinder 2l and its operative connections with the shoes obviously serve to move the same upon the pivots 19 and thereby expand their brake linings against the brake drum l1 and against the action of the before mentioned spring 20. The mechanism thus far described, and to which` I have shown my invention applied, is substantially in accord with present commercial practice, but is notdependent upon the successful operation of my invention, since the same is equally applicable to most any form of brake lining, as used between cylindrical metal brake drums.

From the drawing, shoes each have sidel fianges v25--25, that slideably engage angular-shaped lguide plates to the shell in a way to allow ample free radial movement of the shoe, but to hold it against sidewise movement, thus better to prevent rattling of the brake. Thepbrake lining 27 for this style of brake is secured to these expandable shoe members in a way to be moved into and out of contact with the brake drums 1l of the wheel, for'the purpose of controlling the rotation of same.

The brake shoes, as is customary in this type of brakes, include outer finished cylindrical surfaces, to which 'the brake linings 27 are secured as by means of` rivets 28 and arethus adapted for engagement with the brake drum, through the applicationof hydraulic pressure, which causes the operation of the piston and outward movement of the shoes against f the inner walls ofthe brake drum.

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, My improved signaling device for notifying the driver or occupants of a car of the worn and defective condition of the brake, is connected With and made a part of the lining and consists in part in theuse of a, copper strip 29 of suitable portions, that is covered with an insulating shape and promaterial 30 and secured between the brake lining and the cylindrical walls 31- of the shoes, suitable openings 32 being ,provide-d ate the rivets employed for securing the lining and metal strip to the shoe.` There is one of these linings employed upon each shoe for engagementwith the brake drum, and a wire 33 serves to connect each of these metal strips through holes 34 in the shell, with a it will be seen that the with the drum, thus closing the circuit in a way to d'ispla the si alin lamp referred to and thus `inzlbrm thdrive of the dangerous condition of the brake. It will be obvious that where four-wheel brakes are employed, the wires 36 from the several pairs of brake shoes may be brought together in a suitable manner and from there connected by a single wire to the lamp, etc. in substantially the manner shown in Fig. 2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to'secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an automobile brake of the class described, the combination with a circular brake drum, a circular brake shoe, a flat circular lining intermediate of the drum and shoe, a metal strip positioned between the shoe and lining, an insulating covering enclosing the strip, a circuit wire connected to the strip and ground, and a battery and signal connected in'circuit.

2. In an automobile brake of the class describe y, the combination with a circular brake drum, a circular brakeshoe, a flat circular lining intermediate of 1n circuit.

3. In an automobile brake of the class described, the combination with a circular brake drum, a circular brake shoe, a fiat circular brake lining intermediate the drum and shoe, of a fiat metal strip positioned between the shoe and lining, a covering of insulating material for said strip adapted to wear away with the wearing of the lining, through and in spaced relation to the meta strip and secured to both the shoe and lining, a circuit wire connected to the metal strip and ground, and a nected in circuit.

4. In an automobile brake of the class de-f scribed, the combination with a circular brake drum, a brake shoe, a lining intermediate of the drum and shoe, a metal strip positioned between the shoe and lining and having a series of openings on each edge portion, a

rivets passin battery and signal conthe drum and shoe, 'n of a metal strip covered with an insulating' material positioned between the shoe and lin-` covering of insulating material for said stri having openings re r with those o the metal strip, rivets passing through the openings, lining and shoe to secure the parte onnected to the strip together, a. circuit wire c and ground, and a battery and signal connected in circuit.

' n the county of S1 ed at Bridgeport, 1 Fair eld and State of Connecticut, thls 2nd day of February, A. D. 1931.

ALFRED S. CATAUDELLA. 

